In the human society, whether one is a laborer, merchant, administrator or farmer, or even if one belongs to the highest class and is a literary man, a scientist or a theologian, he has to work in order to maintain his existence. The Lord therefore tells Arjuna that he need not give up his occupation, but while he is engaged in his occupation he should remember Kṛṣṇa (mām anusmara (BG 8.7)). If he doesn't practice remembering Kṛṣṇa while he is struggling for existence, then it will not be possible for him to remember Kṛṣṇa at the time of death.
Administrators (Books)
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Preface and Introduction
BG Chapters 1 - 6
BG 3.11, Purport:
The demigods are empowered administrators of material affairs. The supply of air, light, water and all other benedictions for maintaining the body and soul of every living entity is entrusted to the demigods, who are innumerable assistants in different parts of the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Their pleasures and displeasures are dependent on the performance of yajñas by the human being. Some of the yajñas are meant to satisfy particular demigods; but even in so doing, Lord Viṣṇu is worshiped in all yajñas as the chief beneficiary. It is stated also in the Bhagavad-gītā that Kṛṣṇa Himself is the beneficiary of all kinds of yajñas: bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasām. Therefore, ultimate satisfaction of the yajña-pati is the chief purpose of all yajñas. When these yajñas are perfectly performed, naturally the demigods in charge of the different departments of supply are pleased, and there is no scarcity in the supply of natural products.
BG Chapters 7 - 12
BG 7.15, Purport:
How is it that educated philosophers, scientists, businessmen, administrators and all the leaders of ordinary men do not surrender to the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the all-powerful Personality of Godhead? Mukti, or liberation from the laws of material nature, is sought by the leaders of mankind in different ways and with great plans and perseverance for a great many years and births. But if that liberation is possible by simply surrendering unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then why don't these intelligent and hard-working leaders adopt this simple method?
The Gītā answers this question very frankly. Those really learned leaders of society like Brahmā, Śiva, Kapila, the Kumāras, Manu, Vyāsa, Devala, Asita, Janaka, Prahlāda, Bali, and later on Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Śrī Caitanya and many others—who are faithful philosophers, politicians, educators, scientists, etc.—surrender to the lotus feet of the Supreme Person, the all-powerful authority. Those who are not actually philosophers, scientists, educators, administrators, etc., but who pose themselves as such for material gain, do not accept the plan or path of the Supreme Lord. They have no idea of God; they simply manufacture their own worldly plans and consequently complicate the problems of material existence in their vain attempts to solve them. Because material energy (nature) is so powerful, it can resist the unauthorized plans of the atheists and baffle the knowledge of "planning commissions."
BG 7.15, Purport:
In the Gītā it is clearly mentioned that material energy works fully under the direction of the Supreme Lord. It has no independent authority. It works as the shadow moves, in accordance with the movements of the object. But still material energy is very powerful, and the atheist, due to his godless temperament, cannot know how it works; nor can he know the plan of the Supreme Lord. Under illusion and the modes of passion and ignorance, all his plans are baffled, as in the case of Hiraṇyakaśipu and Rāvaṇa, whose plans were smashed to dust although they were both materially learned as scientists, philosophers, administrators and educators.
BG 9.32, Purport:
Therefore devotional service and the guidance of a pure devotee are so strong that there is no discrimination between the lower and higher classes of men; anyone can take to it. The most simple man taking shelter of the pure devotee can be purified by proper guidance. According to the different modes of material nature, men are classified in the mode of goodness (brāhmaṇas), the mode of passion (kṣatriyas, or administrators), the mixed modes of passion and ignorance (vaiśyas, or merchants), and the mode of ignorance (śūdras, or workers). Those lower than them are called caṇḍālas, and they are born in sinful families. Generally, the association of those born in sinful families is not accepted by the higher classes. But the process of devotional service is so strong that the pure devotee of the Supreme Lord can enable people of all the lower classes to attain the highest perfection of life. This is possible only when one takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa.
BG Chapters 13 - 18
BG 18.47, Purport:
One's occupational duty is prescribed in Bhagavad-gītā. As already discussed in previous verses, the duties of a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra are prescribed according to their particular modes of nature. One should not imitate another's duty. A man who is by nature attracted to the kind of work done by śūdras should not artificially claim to be a brāhmaṇa, although he may have been born into a brāhmaṇa family. In this way one should work according to his own nature; no work is abominable, if performed in the service of the Supreme Lord. The occupational duty of a brāhmaṇa is certainly in the mode of goodness, but if a person is not by nature in the mode of goodness, he should not imitate the occupational duty of a brāhmaṇa. For a kṣatriya, or administrator, there are so many abominable things; a kṣatriya has to be violent to kill his enemies, and sometimes a kṣatriya has to tell lies for the sake of diplomacy. Such violence and duplicity accompany political affairs, but a kṣatriya is not supposed to give up his occupational duty and try to perform the duties of a brāhmaṇa.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
SB 1.3.20, Purport:
The kṣatriyas, or the administrative class of men, are expected to rule the planet by the direction of the intelligent class of men, who give direction to the rulers in terms of the standard śāstras, or the books of revealed knowledge. The rulers carry on the administration according to that direction. Whenever there is disobedience on the part of the kṣatriyas, or the administrative class, against the orders of the learned and intelligent brāhmaṇas, the administrators are removed by force from the posts, and arrangement is made for better administration.
SB 1.3.28, Purport:
The most perfect of living beings is Brahmā, the supreme administrator of one universe. He possesses seventy-eight percent of the attributes in full. All other demigods have the same attributes in less quantity, whereas human beings possess the attributes in very minute quantity. The standard of perfection for a human being is to develop the attributes up to seventy-eight percent in full. The living being can never possess attributes like Śiva, Viṣṇu or Lord Kṛṣṇa.
SB 1.4.12, Purport:
Parīkṣit Mahārāja was an ideal king and householder because he was a devotee of the Personality of Godhead. A devotee of the Lord automatically has all good qualifications. And the Emperor was a typical example of this. Personally he had no attachment for all the worldly opulences in his possession. But since he was king for the all-around welfare of his citizens, he was always busy in the welfare work of the public, not only for this life, but also for the next. He would not allow slaughterhouses or killing of cows. He was not a foolish and partial administrator who would arrange for the protection of one living being and allow another to be killed.
SB 1.5.32, Purport:
Try to study the energy of the Lord in every sphere of life. Do not decry Him and try to become like Him or take His position simply by fragmental accumulation of knowledge. If one is an administrator, statesman, warrior, politician, etc., then one should try to establish the Lord's supremacy in statesmanship. Fight for the cause of the Lord as Śrī Arjuna did.
SB 1.9.26, Purport:
The kṣatriya, the member of the administrative class, is especially advised to give charity and not to accept charity in any circumstances. Modern administrators raise subscriptions for some political functions, but never give charity to the citizens in any state function. It is just the reverse in the injunctions of the śāstras. The administrative class must be well versed in the śāstras, but must not take to the profession of teachers. The administrators should never pretend to become nonviolent and thereby go to hell.
SB 1.9.27, Purport:
In modern days the people in general occupy the administration by the strength of manipulated votes, but they are never trained in the primary duties of the king, and that is also not possible for everyone. Under the circumstances the untrained administrators play havoc to make the subjects happy in all respects. On the other hand, these untrained administrators gradually become rogues and thieves and increase the taxation to finance a top-heavy administration that is useless for all purposes.
SB 1.10.25, Translation:
Whenever there are kings and administrators living like animals in the lowest modes of existence, the Lord in His transcendental form manifests His supreme power, the Truth Positive, shows special mercy to the faithful, performs wonderful activities and manifests various transcendental forms as is necessary in different periods and ages.
SB 1.10.25, Purport:
The king or the administrator is the representative of the Lord to look after the management of the Lord's will. He must therefore be a recognized person like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira or Parīkṣit. Such kings have full responsibility and knowledge from authorities about the administration of the world. But at times, due to the influence of the ignorance mode of material nature (tamo-guṇa), the lowest of the material modes, kings and administrators come into power without knowledge and responsibility, and such foolish administrators live like animals for the sake of their own personal interest. The result is that the whole atmosphere becomes surcharged with anarchy and vicious elements.
SB 1.11.26, Purport:
A faithful servant of the Lord engaged in the service of administration is the ideal executive head and can well protect the interest of the people in general. Other so-called administrators are symbols of anachronisms leading to the acute distress of the people who are governed by them. The administrators can remain safely under the protection of the arms of the Lord.
SB 1.11.34, Translation:
The Lord was pacified after killing those kings who were burdensome to the earth. They were puffed up with their military strength, their horses, elephants, chariots, infantry, etc. He Himself was not a party in the fight. He simply created hostility between the powerful administrators, and they fought amongst themselves. He was like the wind which causes friction between bamboos and so sparks a fire.
SB 1.11.34, Purport:
This state of affairs is called dharmasya glāṇi, or misuse of the energy of the human being. When such misuse of human energy is prominent, the saner living beings become perturbed by the awkward situation created by the vicious administrators, who are simply burdens of the earth, and the Lord appears by His internal potency just to save the saner section of humanity and to alleviate the burden due to the earthly administrators in different parts of the world. He does not favor either of the unwanted administrators, but by His potential power He creates hostility between such unwanted administrators, as the air creates fire in the forest by the friction of the bamboos. The fire in the forest takes place automatically by the force of the air, and similarly the hostility between different groups of politicians takes place by the unseen design of the Lord. The unwanted administrators, puffed up by false power and military strength, thus become engaged in fighting amongst themselves over ideological conflicts and so exhaust themselves of all powers. The history of the world reflects this factual will of the Lord, and it will continue to be enacted until the living beings are attached to the service of the Lord.
SB 1.12.13, Purport:
The great administrators, kings and emperors were always under the guidance of learned brāhmaṇas like Kṛpācārya and thus were able to act properly in the discharge of political responsibilities.
SB 1.12.18, Purport:
In the modern setup of the democratic states, the people themselves are fallen to the qualities of the śūdras or less, and the government is run by their representative, who is ignorant of the scriptural mode of administrative education. Thus the whole atmosphere is surcharged with śūdra qualities, manifested by lust and avarice. Such administrators quarrel every day among themselves. The cabinet of ministers changes often due to party and group selfishness. Everyone wants to exploit the state resources till he dies. No one retires from political life unless forced to do so. How can such low-grade men do good to the people? The result is corruption, intrigue and hypocrisy. They should learn from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam how ideal the administrators must be before they can be given charge of different posts.
SB 1.12.19, Purport:
These saintly kings give protection to all the prajās, or living beings, to live and to fulfill their terms of imprisonment. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was actually an ideal saintly king because while touring his kingdom he happened to see that a poor cow was about to be killed by the personified Kali, whom he at once took to task as a murderer. This means that even the animals were given protection by the saintly administrators, not from any sentimental point of view, but because those who have taken their birth in the material world have the right to live.
SB 1.13.16, Translation:
Having won his kingdom and observed the birth of one grandson competent to continue the noble tradition of his family, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira reigned peacefully and enjoyed uncommon opulence in cooperation with his younger brothers, who were all expert administrators to the common people.
SB 1.13.50, Purport:
The Lord descends from His abode (Kṛṣṇaloka), the topmost planet in the spiritual sky, in order to help the demigod administrators of this material world when they are greatly vexed by the asuras, who are envious not only of the Lord but also of His devotees.
SB 1.16.5, Purport:
The ṛṣis in those days, however, could not even imagine that in the advanced days of the age of Kali the lowest of the śūdras will be elected as administrators and will open organized slaughterhouses for killing cows.
SB 1.16.21, Purport:
Education and bad character go ill together, but such things will run parallel. The administrative heads as a class will condemn the tenets of Vedic wisdom and will prefer to conduct a so-called secular state, and the so-called educated brāhmaṇas will be purchased by such unscrupulous administrators.
SB 1.16.22, Translation:
The so-called administrators are now bewildered by the influence of this age of Kali, and thus they have put all state affairs into disorder. Are you now lamenting this disorder? Now the general populace does not follow the rules and regulations for eating, sleeping, drinking, mating, etc., and they are inclined to perform such anywhere and everywhere. Are you unhappy because of this?
SB 1.16.22, Purport:
The so-called administrators are all untrained in the affairs of a kṣatriya. The kṣatriyas are meant for administration, as the brāhmaṇas are meant for knowledge and guidance. The word kṣatra-bandhu refers to the so-called administrators or persons promoted to the post of the administrator without proper training by culture and tradition.
SB 1.17.1, Purport:
The principal sign of the age of Kali is that lower-caste śūdras, i.e., men without brahminical culture and spiritual initiation, will be dressed like administrators or kings, and the principal business of such non-kṣatriya rulers will be to kill the innocent animals, especially the cows and the bulls, who shall be unprotected by their masters, the bona fide vaiśyas, the mercantile community. In the Bhagavad-gītā (18.44), it is said that the vaiśyas are meant to deal in agriculture, cow protection and trade. In the age of Kali, the degraded vaiśyas, the mercantile men, are engaged in supplying cows to slaughterhouses. The kṣatriyas are meant to protect the citizens of the state, whereas the vaiśyas are meant to protect the cows and bulls and utilize them to produce grains and milk. The cow is meant to deliver milk, and the bull is meant to produce grains. But in the age of Kali, the śūdra class of men are in the posts of administrators, and the cows and bulls, or the mothers and the fathers, unprotected by the vaiśyas, are subjected to the slaughterhouses organized by the śūdra administrators.
SB 1.17.5, Purport:
The kṣatriya king is considered to be the representative of God to give protection to the helpless and chastise the miscreants. Whenever there are anomalies in this routine work by the administrators, there is an incarnation of the Lord to reestablish the principles of a godly kingdom. In the age of Kali, the poor helpless animals, especially the cows, which are meant to receive all sorts of protection from the administrative heads, are killed without restriction. Thus the administrative heads under whose noses such things happen are representatives of God in name only. Such powerful administrators are rulers of the poor citizens by dress or office, but factually they are worthless, lower-class men without the cultural assets of the twice-born.
SB 1.17.27, Purport:
The kṣatriya, or the man who is qualified to protect the sufferers, is meant to rule the state. Untrained lower-class men, or men without ambition to protect the sufferers, cannot be placed on the seat of an administrator. Unfortunately, in the age of Kali the lower-class men, without training, occupy the post of a ruler by strength of popular votes, and instead of protecting the sufferers, such men create a situation quite intolerable for everyone.
SB 1.17.28, Purport:
The administrators should not simply pass resolutions for anticorruptional steps, but they must be ready with sharp swords to kill the persons creating corruptions from the angle of vision of the recognized śāstras. The administrators cannot prevent corrupt activities by allowing wine shops. They must at once close all shops of intoxicating drugs and wine and force punishment even by death for those who indulge in habits of intoxication of all description. That is the way of stopping the activities of Kali, as exhibited herein by Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the mahā-ratha.
SB 1.17.29, Purport:
In the age of Kali there are so many pretenders dressed and posed like administrators or executive heads, but their real identity is disclosed when they are challenged by a real kṣatriya. Therefore when the artificially dressed personality of Kali saw that to fight Mahārāja Parīkṣit was beyond his ability, he bowed down his head like a subordinate and gave up his royal dress.
SB 1.17.43-44, Purport:
Modern administrators want to banish corruption from the state, but fools as they are, they do not know how to do it. They want to issue licenses for gambling houses, wine and other intoxicating drug houses, brothels, hotel prostitution and cinema houses, and falsity in every dealing, even in their own, and they want at the same time to drive out corruption from the state. They want the kingdom of God without God consciousness.
SB 1.17.45, Purport:
The brāhmaṇas and the sannyāsīs are expert in the spiritual advancement of society, whereas the kṣatriyas or the administrators are expert in the material peace and prosperity of human society. Both of them are the pillars of all happiness, and therefore they are meant for full cooperation for common welfare.
SB Canto 2
SB 2.1.37, Purport:
Similarly, the divisions of the orders of human society, namely the brāhmaṇas (the intelligent class), the kṣatriyas (the administrators), the vaiśyas (the mercantile community) and the śūdras (the laborer class), are all included in the body of the Supreme. As such, sacrifice by every one of them in terms of pleasing the Supreme by feasible goods is recommended. Generally, the sacrifice is offered with clarified butter and grains, but with the progress of time, human society has produced varieties of goods by transforming materials supplied by God's material nature. Human society, therefore, must learn to offer sacrifices not only with clarified butter, but also with other manufactured goods in the propagation of the Lord's glory, and that will bring about perfection in human society. The intelligent class of men, or brāhmaṇas, may give direction for such sacrifices in consultation with the previous ācāryas; the administrators may give all facilities to perform such sacrifices; the vaiśya class or mercantile community, who produce such goods, may offer them for sacrifice; and the śūdra class may offer their manual labor for the successful termination of such sacrifice.
SB 2.7.9, Purport:
According to the system of varṇāśrama-dharma, the pious and learned brāhmaṇas were the natural guardians of society. The brāhmaṇas, by their learned labor of love, would instruct the administrator-kings how to rule the country in complete righteousness, and thus the process would go on as a perfect welfare state. The kings or the kṣatriya administrators would always consult the council of learned brāhmaṇas. They were never autocratic monarchs.
SB 2.7.22, Translation:
When the ruling administrators, who are known as the kṣatriyas, turned astray from the path of the Absolute Truth, being desirous to suffer in hell, the Lord, in His incarnation as the sage Paraśurāma, uprooted those unwanted kings, who appeared as the thorns of the earth. Thus He thrice seven times uprooted the kṣatriyas with His keenly sharpened chopper.
SB 2.7.22, Purport:
The kṣatriyas, or the ruling administrators of any part of the universe, either on this planet or on other planets, are factually the representatives of the Almighty Personality of Godhead, and they are meant to lead the subjects towards the path of God realization. Every state and its administrators, regardless of the nature of the administration—monarchy or democracy, oligarchy or dictatorship or autocracy—have the prime responsibility to lead the citizens toward God realization. This is essential for all human beings, and it is the duty of the father, spiritual master, and ultimately the state to take up the responsibility of leading the citizens towards this end. The whole creation of material existence is made for this purpose, just to give a chance to the fallen souls who rebelled against the will of the Supreme Father and thus became conditioned by material nature. The force of material nature gradually leads one to a hellish condition of perpetual pains and miseries. Those going against the prescribed rules and regulations of conditional life are called brahmojjhita-pathas, or persons going against the path of the Absolute Truth, and they are liable to be punished. Lord Paraśurāma, the incarnation of the Personality of Godhead, appeared in such a state of worldly affairs and killed all the miscreant kings twenty-one times. Many kṣatriya kings fled from India to other parts of the world at that time, and according to the authority of the Mahābhārata, the kings of Egypt originally migrated from India because of Paraśurāma's program of chastisement. The kings or administrators are similarly chastised in all circumstances whenever they become godless and plan a godless civilization. That is the order of the Almighty.
SB Canto 3
SB 3.9.12, Purport:
The demigods in the celestial heavenly planets, who are appointed administrators of the material affairs, are also devotees of the Lord. But, at the same time, they have desires for material opulence and sense gratification.
SB 3.13.12, Purport:
That is the purpose of the complete administrative system. One who knows this secret, as disclosed here in the version of Brahmā, is the perfect administrative head. One who does not know this is a show-bottle administrator.
SB Canto 4
SB 4.12.10, Purport:
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on this principle: chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra at every moment, as much as possible, both inside and outside of the temples, and, as far as possible, distribute prasāda. This process can be accelerated with the cooperation of state administrators and those who are producing the country's wealth.
SB 4.12.12, Purport:
As for good qualities, it is very difficult to find anyone in state administration with any good qualities. The administrators simply sit in their administrative posts and say no to every request, as if they were paid to say no to the citizens.
SB 4.16.6, Purport:
Tax revenues should never be distributed amongst governmental servants in the form of high salaries and various other allowances. In Kali-yuga, however, the position of the citizens is very horrible because taxes are exacted in so many forms and are spent for the personal comforts of the administrators.
SB 4.22.45, Purport:
In this verse it is very clearly stated that a kingdom, state or empire must be governed under the instructions of saintly persons and brāhmaṇas like the Kumāras. When monarchy ruled throughout the world, the monarch was actually directed by a board of brāhmaṇas and saintly persons. The king, as the administrator of the state, executed his duties as a servant of the brāhmaṇas.
SB Canto 5
SB 5.4.15, Purport:
A similar verse is also found in Bhagavad-gītā (3.21). It is essential for human society to have a section of men perfectly trained as qualified brāhmaṇas according to the instructions of Vedic knowledge. Those below the brahminical qualification—administrators, merchants and workers—should take instructions from those ideal people who are considered to be intellectuals.
SB Canto 6
SB 6.7.13, Purport:
A human civilization is advanced when its people follow the cātur-varṇya system, the system of four orders of life. There must be ideal, first-class men to act as advisors, second-class men to act as administrators, third-class men to produce food and protect cows, and fourth-class men who obey the three higher classes of society. One who does not follow the standard system of society should be considered a fifth-class man.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Antya-lila
CC Antya 3.124, Purport:
"In the Age of Kali, mlecchas, or lowborn people who have not undergone the purifying process of saṁskāra, who do not know how to apply that process in actual life, and who are covered by the modes of passion and ignorance will take the posts of administrators. They will devour the citizens with their atheistic activities." A person who is not purified by the prescribed process of saṁskāra is called asaṁskṛta, but if one remains kriyā-hīna even after being purified by initiation—in other words, if one fails to actually apply the principles of purity in his life—he remains an unpurified mleccha or yavana.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 6:
The two-handed form is actually vaibhava-prakāśa, and the four-handed form is prābhava-prakāśa. In His personal form, Kṛṣṇa is just like a cowherd boy, and He thinks of Himself in that way. But when He is in the Vāsudeva form, He thinks of Himself as the son of a kṣatriya and acts as a princely administrator.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 11:
There are eight divisions of human society created to facilitate the execution of duty (the brāhmaṇas, or intellectuals; the kṣatriyas, or administrators; the vaiśyas, or businessmen and farmers; and the śūdras, or laborers—as well as the four āśramas: the brahmacārī, or student; the gṛhastha, or householder; the vānaprastha, or retired person; and the sannyāsī, or the person in renounced life), but if a person is lacking in devotion or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he cannot be released from material bondage, even if he executes his prescribed duty.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 27:
For this purpose human society is divided into four classes: the intellectuals (brāhmaṇas), the administrators (kṣatriyas), the merchants (vaiśyas), and the laborers (śūdras). For each class there are prescribed rules and regulations as well as occupational functions. The prescribed duties and qualities of the four classes are described in Bhagavad-gītā (18.41-44).
Easy Journey to Other Planets
Easy Journey to Other Planets 1:
The different deities, or powerful directing officers, are appointed to act in the administration of cosmic activities. Foolish people who are unable to see the intricacies of cosmic management laugh at the idea of personal management of fire, air, electricity, days, nights, etc., by demigods. But the perfect yogīs know how to satisfy these unseen administrators of material affairs and, taking advantage of the good will of these administrators, leave their material bodies at will during opportune moments arranged for entrance into the antimaterial universe or into the highest planets of the material sky. In the higher planets of the material world, the yogīs can enjoy more comfortable and more pleasant lives for hundreds of thousands of years, but life in those higher planets is not eternal. Those who desire eternal life enter into the antimaterial universe through mystic powers at certain opportune moments created by the demigod-administrators of cosmic affairs, administrators unseen by the gross materialists who reside on this seventh-class planet called "Earth."
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Krsna Book 40:
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who appeared as the Lord of the Bhṛgus in order to kill all the infidel administrators of the world.
Krsna Book 89:
The most important among them were as follows: Puṣṭi, the energy for nourishment; Śrī, the energy of beauty; Kīrti, the energy of reputation; and Ajā, the energy of material creation. All these energies are invested in the administrators of the material world, namely Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu, and also in Indra (the King of the heavenly planets), Candra, Varuṇa and the sun-god.
Renunciation Through Wisdom
Renunciation Through Wisdom 1.9:
The four divisions of society—namely intellectuals, administrators, merchants, and laborers—should be determined not by birth but by merit, just as one becomes a doctor or a judge not by birthright but by merit alone. In this world of the three modes of material nature, social classes have always existed. Therefore a person's birth should never determine his caste or class in society. The four classes were created according to a person's qualifications.
Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.3:
The brāhmaṇas (the intellectual, priestly class), the kṣatriyas (kings and administrators), the vaiśyas (the mercantile community), and the śūdras (menial workers) are the four social orders, or varṇas. If they live according to the scriptural injunctions pertaining to their particular varṇa, then they can accrue piety.
Message of Godhead
Message of Godhead 2:
The four social orders—generally known as the "caste system" and consisting of the brāhmaṇas (priests and intellectuals), the kṣatriyas (administrators and soldiers), the vaiśyas (merchants and farmers), and the śūdras (laborers)—were never meant for a caste system by birthright. This system is universally applicable in terms of one's mundane, practical qualifications and personality traits.
Sri Isopanisad
Sri Isopanisad Introduction:
The divisions of society are brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Brāhmaṇa refers to the very intelligent class of men, those who know what is Brahman. Similarly, the kṣatriyas, the administrator group, are the next intelligent class of men.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives):
The intelligent class of the society, they are working in a different way, and the administrator class of society, they are also working in a different way. The mercantile society, the productive society, they are also working in a different way, and the laborer class, they are also working in different way. In the human society, either as laborer or as mercantile men, or as politicians, administrators, or as the highest class of intelligent class of men in literary career, scientific researches, everybody is engaged in some work, and one has to work, struggle for existence.
Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:
This dharma means, according to different position... Just like brāhmaṇa, the intellectual society; the kṣatriyas, the administrator society; the vaiśyas, the mercantile society; and the śūdras. Śūdras means the laborer class. So these four divisions are always. Now you can name in a different way. That doesn't matter. But in every society and for all time these divisions are there. So according to Vedic system, this system is observed by generation.
Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:
That is by nature's system. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). By nature's way or by God's arrangement, there are four classes of men. The most intelligent class of men is called the brāhmaṇas. Intelligent means one who knows up to the Supreme Lord. And then next intelligent class: the politicians, administrators. Next intelligent class: the mercantile class, traders. And the fourth class man means worker.
Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:
The next class is called the kṣatriya. Just like when somebody comes to attack you, first of all your brain gives you dictation, "Now this man is coming to attack you. You spread your hand." So immediately my hand spreads and I want to protect myself. So these are called kṣatriya class or the armies, from "arm." So next intelligent class is the government class, administrator class.
Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Edinburgh, July 16, 1972:
You have heard many times the caste system of India: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. This is not artificial. It is natural. In any society you go, not only in India, in any other country, these four classes of men are there. Intelligent class of men, administrator class of men, productive class of men, and laborer class of men. You call it by different names, but there must be such division.
Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Purport: "The demigods are empowered administrators of material..."
Prabhupāda: Yes. "The demigods are empowered administrators of material affairs." How can you deny the existence of demigod? Go on.
Lecture on BG 4.13 -- New York, April 8, 1973:
So why this problem? Because the human society is in chaos. A chaotic condition. There must be division of four classes. One class must be brāhmaṇa, intelligent class of men. And one should be kṣatriya, one class, the administrators. Because human society, they require good consulting brain, good administrators, good producers and good worker. That is the division of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: catur varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). In order to keep smooth facilities for human life, there must be four divisions. If you say that don't, "We don't require brāhmaṇa,"... If you don't require brāhmaṇa, then you'll suffer.
Lecture on BG 4.13 -- New York, April 8, 1973:
So we have to cooperate. It doesn't matter. One is very intelligent. One is less intelligent. One is less intelligent. The four classes are there. The most intelligent class is the head, brain. And the next intelligent class, the administrator, government. The next intelligent class, the industrialists, merchants. The next intelligent class is the worker. All of them are required. But at the present moment, there is only this mercantile industrialist and worker. There is no brain. How to conduct society? How to become perfect human society, how to fulfill the mission of human society, for these things, there is no brain.
Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:
Oh. So war is not always impious. Do you understand? Sometimes war, fighting... So far, so far the Vedic conception of life is concerned, there are four classes, four classes: the intelligent class, the administrator class, the mercantile class... Not only Vedic religion, this division is all over the world. There are four classes of men. So for administrative class of men, it is a duty to protect the weak.
Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Delhi, November 3, 1973:
Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. There are divisions. In the human society there should be divisions of work. The activities for the most intellectual person, that should be a division. That is called brāhmaṇa division. The activities of the politicians and administrators, that is called kṣatriya division.
Lecture on BG 4.19-25 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1969:
Similarly either you become intelligent class of men or you become administrator or you become mercantile class or laborer, if you engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness then your position is transcendental. You are no more in the material nature. This is the process of transcendental position. Go on.
Lecture on BG 7.8-14 -- New York, October 2, 1966:
And those who are in the modes of goodness, they are brāhmaṇa. Name may be another thing. You may say, "Oh, this person, this man is very intelligent, very moralist." That means he is a brāhmaṇa. Or "This man is very good administrator." That means he is kṣatriya. "Oh, this man is very good industrialist, merchant." That means he is vaiśya. "This man cannot do anything." He is śūdra.
Lecture on BG 13.6-7 -- Montreal, October 25, 1968:
Similarly, there is a class of men who are interested to take part in politics, in diplomacy, or to stand for election as president or as governor. In every country, in every place. They are called administrator class, or martial-spirited. They are prepared to fight also.
Lecture on BG 18.41 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:
There must be department of practical psychology to see the students, in which class he belongs to. Either he belongs to the first-class, brāhmaṇa class, or second-class, the kṣatriya class, administrator class, and the third-class, mercantile, or business man, and the fourth-class, śūdras, worker. If education is given according to the quality and position, then there will be complete system in the whole human society.
Lecture on BG 18.41 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:
And the Communist philosophy also, there are so many defects. They also think of equal rights for everyone but why not for the animals? What right you have got to kill the animals? Similarly, the animal also kill you. So this is not organized society. The organized society should be that there should be first-class men, brāhmaṇa. They would give advice to the second-class men, the administrators. And the administrator class of men, they will see that everyone is following the religious principles. And the third class men or the mercantile class of men, they should produce food.
Lecture on BG 18.41 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:
Administrator class. Kṣatriya, kṣatriya means those who are in the governmental power. They should be śauryam, very powerful, and very influential. Śauryaṁ tejaḥ. Nowadays, without seeing these qualifications, a third-class, fourth-class man is voted, and therefore we find out that Mr. Nixon, he's attacked now so many... Because he has no kṣatriya qualification. These are the kṣatriya qualification, administrator. Śaucam, śauryaṁ tejo dhṛtiḥ. He must be determined, dākṣyam, he must very expert, yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam, and he should not flee away from fighting. When there is... Nowadays, when there is... the politicians and diplomats, they sit down very safely in their room and poor people, they are, by force, sent to fight. This is not kṣatriya, this is not administration. The kṣatriya is, he must come forward first of all. Then others will follow. Yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam. And dānam, he must be very charitable. That is another qualification of the administrator. Īśvara-bhāvaś ca, and the governing spirit. These are the kṣātraṁ karma svabhāva-jam. Similarly, this is second class.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.3.20 -- Los Angeles, September 25, 1972:
So actually, the administrators, the brāhmaṇas, sages, they gave their verdict, that "My dear king, you rule over the country in this fashion. People will be happy." So when the kings became sensuous, they thought that the kingdom is their father's property. They haven't got to do anything with the people. They can employ the taxes for sense gratification, as it is going on now. Whatever taxes are levied, they are divided among the government servant. That's all. You don't get any benefit. You are simply paid, to pay tax. That's all. You don't get any benefit. That is everywhere, the modern government. So such thing happens because this material world is such that even if you make very nice arrangement, it will deteriorate. The time factor. So sometimes, when it happens so that the administrators, nṛpān, the kings, were neglectful in their proper duty, so it was so much aggravated, at that time Jamadagni, Bhṛgupati, he took the matter, took his sword.
Lecture on SB 1.3.20 -- Los Angeles, September 25, 1972:
Just like Veṇa Mahārāja. He became too much atheistic. He was also killed by the brāhmaṇas and the sages. Then his son Pṛthu Mahārāja became king, and he was a good administration, administrator. So in this way, things were going on.
Lecture on SB 1.3.20 -- Los Angeles, September 25, 1972:
So the responsibility was that time to the administrator. They would see that everyone, every brāhmaṇa, is following the rules and regulation of a brāhmaṇa; every kṣatriya is following the rules and regulation of kṣatriya. Vaiśya, śūdra... And nobody can interfere the other's business. Everyone is employed in his own business.
Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:
Just like take for example, when there are too much criminals in the state, unlawful, lawlessness, the state becomes overburdened, disturbed, overburdened. At that time the administrators are puzzled what to do. Similarly when the world is overburdened by atheists, demons, nonbelievers, the world becomes overburdened. Otherwise things will go on nicely. Just like in the state, if people abide by the laws nicely, then it is very easy to administer. Things are going on very nicely. But if people become criminals, it becomes a overburden to the state administrators.
Lecture on SB 1.15.28 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1973:
Similarly, there are industrialists, agriculturalists and general worker. They are neither intelligent nor administrator, nor producer, but simply worker. You give them some money and they are satisfied. So that is natural division of a society. And you call it by different names. But scientifically the division is already there.
Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:
The second class, administrator, to see that the government is going nicely, people are not unhappy, people are not suffering from thieves and rogues. This is the first business. Good government means that people will think that they're secure, their property and person is secure.
Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:
As soon as a thief is arrested and if he's proved that he has stolen, the only punishment is cut his throat, aḥ, cut his hands. Bas. Exemplary punishment so that nobody will dare to steal. So this is second class, administrators. And the third class are to produce money—businessmen, mercantile. Money is also required. So without money nothing can be done, so that is not... But that is the occupation of..., the third class take. And the fourth class, śūdra. They cannot take any post as intelligent class or administrator class or money-producing class. They are simply servant, help others, śūdra. The śūdra was not meant for taking the political part.
Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:
As such we find so many difficulties in the government because the head or the head man, they are all śūdras. They have dressed like administrator, but they are śūdras. This is the symptom of Kali-yuga.
Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:
First of all, there is classification: intelligent class or brāhmaṇa; and the administrator class or kṣatriya; and the mercantile class, money-producing class. So everyone is engaged, and he's doing his own business. But this division must be there. Without division the society will be in chaos.
Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974:
So why this has happened? Because here it is said, kiṁ kṣatra-bandhūn. Kṣatriya, the administrator class, the government. So in Kali-yuga they will take charge of the administration or government, but they are not real kṣatriya. They are less than śūdra. So how the government will be nice? Therefore it is lamentable, that those who are not kṣatriyas, they are taking the position of government officers.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:
This is the division of four orders of life: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The brāhmaṇa means the most intelligent class of men in the society. Kṣatriya means the administrators, the politicians, the rulers of the society. Vaiśya means the productive class, traders, industrialists, those who are producing money or food, vaiśya. And śūdra means ordinary workers. That is the Vedic social system.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:
So formerly, instructions were given to the administrators so that their brain may be adjusted how to rule over the people. Rājendra Mahārāja Parīkṣit-rājendra means the emperor of the world—he was taking instruction at the point of his death.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:
Because the whole world is running on under three qualitative divisions. And under these three qualitative divisions, some of them are very intelligent class of men, some of them are administrator class of men, some of them are trader class of men, some of them simply worker. So this subject matter is also divided into three groups according to the quality of the readers or hearers.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:
Man, the word comes from the Manu. So Manu is the son of sun-god, so he came from the sun planet. And he begot sons here in this planet, Ikṣvāku. These are all stated by the Vedic śāstras., imaṁ vivasvate... So there was connection. In India, there are two kinds of kṣatriya family, administrator, royal family. The one royal family is coming from the sun-god, and the other royal family is coming from the moon-god.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:
And the kṣatriyas, they are administrators, so they rule over the country. They exact taxes from the citizens. They live on the tax, and the brāhmaṇas, on the contribution of the public. Just like we are teaching, we are living on the contribution of the public. The public knows that there is an important institution. They are giving good lessons. So public contributes. So we can accept contribution. But a king is not allowed to take contribution. Because he is administrator, he can tax, so his source of income is tax.
Lecture on SB 2.9.14 -- Melbourne, April 13, 1972:
And administrator class means they are interested in giving protection to the people. Now it is under nationalism. And give them protection from the enemies, from thieves, from rogues. That is the duty of the kṣatriya. Kṣat. Kṣatta means injury, and tra means one who protects or liberates. "One who protects a human being from being hurt by others"—that is called kṣatriya. And brāhmaṇa means one who knows Brahman, the Absolute Truth. And vaiśya means those who know visampati, the economic problem. And śūdra means laborer. So each word has got meaning. So everyone has got his particular type of occupation, either as intelligent class of men, or as the administrator class of men, or as vaiśyas, traders, or merchants, or as a laborer. Everyone has got.
Lecture on SB 3.1.10 -- Dallas, May 21, 1973:
So we are training, especially, our students to become qualified brāhmaṇas. We cannot take up all other department. Similarly, others may take up the line of training... Military men... Others may take... There are training classes. Maybe mercantile firm, you can get your lessons. So there was organized method to train these mercantile men, administrator and brāhmaṇa.
Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Los Angeles, November 10, 1968:
So the kṣatriyas, they are in every human society, the administrator class, politicians, diplomats. Next vaiśya, mercantile class. That is not to be explained. In your country there are so many mercantile class. And śūdras. Śūdra means neither intelligent nor administrator nor merchant. General laborer. Give them something, they'll work. They have no intelligence. So they are called śūdras. So these four divisions there are. And... This is... So far our material necessities are concerned, there is need of intelligent class of men to guide, there is need of administrators or martial class of men, there is need of mercantile class of men, and there is need of laborer class of men.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- London, August 30, 1971:
And the laborer class of men, namely one who is neither intelligent nor administrator nor trader, but wants to live at the shelter of somebody, master, they are called śūdras.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:
So the second-class men means the kṣatriyas, the administrators, the administrative class of men, because government men, they must be very sober to rule over the citizens. There are varieties of men, and, to regulate them so that the state may go on very peacefully, so this is dependent on the kṣatriyas. And they must be prepared to fight to the enemies. Everything is described in the śāstra, in the Bhagavad-gītā. Tejo śauryaṁ yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam. The administrator should be so brave that whenever there is war they must first of all come forward to fight so that soldiers and others may follow him. So they are second-class men, and they should be instructed by the first-class men. Then their activities will be nice.
Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:
Everyone has got prescribed duties. Where is that scientific understanding? There must be... As I was talking the other day, scientific division of the human society. The most intelligent class, they should be trained up as brāhmaṇa. Less, little less intelligent, they should be trained up as administrator.
Lecture on SB 5.5.3-4 -- Bombay, March 29, 1977:
The real problem of life is not to adjust things materially, change from one form of government to another form of government. These things are temporary things. It will not give relief. And this fighting between one party with another amongst the politicians or the kṣatriyas or the administrators, they are going on perpetually.
Lecture on SB 6.1.10 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1975:
That intelligence was found in the life of Sanātana Gosvāmī. When he first met Caitanya Mahāprabhu, his spiritual master, the first question was that "I am considered as very learned scholar and very good administrator." Grāmya-vyavahāre kahe paṇḍita, satya kori māni. "And some, my ignorant friends, they call me I am very big man, very learned man." But āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni: "Unfortunately, I do not know how to get out of this material condition of life. I do not know."
Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:
What is the position of India? Nobody cares for India. Wherever I go, they say, "Oh, India? That's poverty-stricken country." That is your good name. Because you are actually going. Your administrators are going: "Give me. Give me grains. Give me money. Give me weapons so I can be saved from the slapping of China." A begging business. The India's position is not very glorious outside India.
Lecture on SB 7.9.13 -- Montreal, August 21, 1968:
So Prahlāda Mahārāja assures that brahmādayo sarve hy amī vidhi-karāḥ. Vidhi-karāḥ means administrators. The demigods are different administrators appointed on behalf of the Supreme Lord. Just like the sun-god, he is also called god because he is godly. So he is supplying us heat and light. Similarly, there is Indra. He is supplying us water. Candra is supplying us moonlight. Varuna is supplying us air. There are different controllers.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:
Most learned means one who knows the Absolute Truth, brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ. So there must be a section of the learned. There must be a section of the administrators, kṣatriyas. There must be a section, productive. (aside:) It is... It is disturbing me... And there must be a section, worker. So cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The society must be divided... By natural way, it is divided: the intelligent class, the administrator class, the productive class, and the worker class. And they should cooperate. Then the society's perfect.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:
Just like about the Gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī, who was executing his devotional service on this spot... They were ministers. And they gave up everything. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. Maṇḍala-pati. Maṇḍala-pati means leaders. The leader of the group, maṇḍala-pati. Just like there is rastra-pati. Similarly they were rastra-patis, maṇḍala-pati, but tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati... Because they were minister, their friendly circles were big, big zamindars, administrators. But they gave up their company.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:
Anywhere there are intelligent class of men, God conscious men, they are called brāhmaṇas. Anywhere who are prepared for the right cause, administrator, kṣatriyas. Anywhere who are interested in business, trade, agriculture, they are called vaiśyas. And anywhere who are simply satisfied by serving others, he's called śūdra. So our principle is not to proselytize from Christian to Hindu or Muhammadan to Hindu. We are teaching simply how to revive his own constitutional position to become servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:
And the Bhāgavata says, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma, any religion, any religion, or religious principle, sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam, it is compiled and made by the Supreme Lord. Therefore in every scripture, you'll find the beginning is God. Beginning is God. So just like the state laws, the state laws are made by the state administrators. So how can you make change? You cannot make change.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.164-173 -- New York, December 13, 1966:
So one expansion is vaibhava at Vṛndāvana, and another expansion was made by Kṛṣṇa at Dvārakā when He was grown up and He was obliged to marry sixteen thousand wives, sixteen thousand wives. He had actually... Because the kṣatriyas, the administrator, the royal family, royal class, they are allowed to marry more than one wife, not other class.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.21-28 -- New York, January 11, 1967:
And the śūdras, they have no responsibility. Therefore they serve these three higher class: the intelligent class, engaged in cultivation of knowledge; the administrator class, who are engaged in good government; and the mercantile, class who are looking to the productive side of the society.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.21-28 -- New York, January 11, 1967:
That means learned scholar minus Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Similarly, a learned politician, able administrator, minus Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Similarly, a successful businessman minus Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Or the śūdras... Anyone, if he is minus Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then the result is that svakarma karite se raurave paḍi' maje: "By doing, by executing his specific duty, he's going to hell." Hell. It is fact.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.27-31 -- New York, January 15, 1967:
Now, this verse says that the highly intellectual class of men, they are situated on the mouth of the Supreme Lord. The intellectual persons are considered the mouth of the Supreme Lord. And the next, the administrators, or the protector class of men... Not administrators; practically protector... Kṣatriya means protector. Protector class of men, they are considered to be the arms of the Supreme Lord.
Festival Lectures
Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima -- Hawaii, March 5, 1969:
And the fourth-class men, they are called śūdras. That means they have no other ambition than to fill up their belly also. That's all. They have no intelligence to become brāhmaṇa, neither to become kṣatriya, administrator, or to occupy political powers; neither they have energy to become very rich businessmen or industrialists. Therefore they are called fourth-class men.
Jagannatha Deities Installation Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13-14 -- San Francisco, March 23, 1967:
What are the division? The first-class man is a brāhmaṇa, full of knowledge, spiritual knowledge; the second-class man is the administrator, maintaining the state; and a third-class man, economic development, mercantile people; and fourth-class men, they are laborer class. This is the division of the society. And there is division of spiritual advancement. What is that? That brahmacārī, the beginning of spiritual life; then gṛhastha, householder, to live just like gentleman, with responsibility with spiritual view, householder; then vānaprastha, retired life; then sannyāsa, renounced life.
Jagannatha Deities Installation Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13-14 -- San Francisco, March 23, 1967:
If you want to make perfection of your duty, then you have to satisfy the Supreme Lord." It doesn't matter what you are. You may be a brahmacārī, you may be a householder, you may be in renounced order of life, and you may be a laborer class, you may be a brāhmaṇa, or you may be administrator. Whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. But your duty, your occupational service, will attain perfection when you try to satisfy the Supreme Lord by your occupation. That is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Arrival Address -- New York, April 5, 1973:
Brāhmaṇa means the most intelligent class of men, and kṣatriya means administrators, and the vaiśya means mercantile people, and śūdra means ordinary workers. All of them are required proportionately. Just like to keep up your body you require your head, you require your arms, you require your belly, and you require your legs also. Comparatively studying, head is very important than the leg, but that does not mean leg is unimportant. Everything wanted for the upkeep of the body. Similarly, for upkeep of the society, human society, there must be intelligent class of men, there must be administrator class of men, there must be productive class of men and there must be worker class of men.
Initiation Lectures
Deity Installation and Initiation -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:
So next, the last class is called śūdra. Śūdra means workers. They haven't got much intelligence, neither they can work as administrator or traders but they work and get some salary.
General Lectures
Lecture -- Seattle, October 7, 1968:
This is applicable for everyone, civilized men. I don't speak of the Americans, in Europe, in Asia. Anywhere. Aryans means those who are advanced. Non-Aryans means those who are not ad... This is the Sanskrit meaning, ārya. And śūdras... Aryans are divided into four castes. The most intelligent class is called brāhmaṇa, and the less than the brāhmaṇas means those who are administrators, politicians, they are kṣatriyas.
Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968:
Then... Just like Arjuna's example is karma-yoga. Arjuna is a fighter, he's a warrior, military man. And he fought for Kṛṣṇa. This is called karma-yoga. You be whatever you may be. You may be a brāhmaṇa, you may be a kṣatriya, you may be a vaiśya, you may be a intelligent man, you may be a military man, you may be a administrator, you may be a business man, or you may be ordinary worker, it doesn't matter. But if you offer the result of your work for the satisfaction of God, then you are perfect.
Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968:
There are different classes of men. Generally, they are divided into four classes: the intelligent class of men, the administrator class of men, the business class of men, and the general worker, laborer class of men. So Bhāgavata says, "Whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. You just try to satisfy the Supreme Lord by your work. That's all."
Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:
That is called kṣatriya. That means, that is the business of the administrators, government. So brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, then vaiśyas. Vaiśyas means productive class who are interested in producing things for consumption by the people. Mercantile class, industrialists, they are called vaiśyas. And the last class, fourth class, they are called śūdras. Śūdras means that they are neither intellectual, nor they're administrator, nor industrial or mercantile, but they can serve others. That's all.
Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:
If you simply chant this transcendental vibration, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, you don't require any qualification and you don't require that you have to become intellectual man or an administrator or a productive man or... Never mind whatever you are. You be situated in your place, but you try to chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. The result will be that your heart, the dust on the mirror of your heart, will be gradually cleansed. And when it is completely cleansed, then you will understand that you are not this body. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12).
Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:
It is all calculated on the basis of intelligence. There are different kinds of people all over the world on account of more or less intelligence. So brāhmaṇa means the most intelligent class of men. The scientists, the poets, the philosophers, like that. The religionists, they are called brāhmaṇas. And the administrator class is called the kṣatriyas, and the productive class are called the vaiśyas, and the laborer class, or the working class, is called the śūdra. That is natural division.
Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:
Nobody is lower or higher. Of course, comparatively, when we see that the head is more important than the leg, but you cannot do deal, also without leg. Neither you can do without head. Everything is required in the social body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). So this scientific social system, a class, intelligent class of men, should be the head of the society. And the fighting class or the martial class of men, they should be the administrators. And the productive class, merchants and industrialists, they should be the belly of the society. And the laborer class, they should be the legs of the society. This is the idea we get from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Philosophy Discussions
Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:
Prabhupāda: No, you have killed all these things, but the system is there. Therefore the brahminical culture is above the kṣatriya culture. Therefore this division must be there; brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The administrators, the kings, they are kṣatriyas, but above them the brāhmaṇas are there. But because there is no brahminical class—they have all killed them-therefore he says there is no authority.
Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:
Prabhupāda: That perfectness of understanding God and God's regulation or order is clearly described in the Bhagavad-gītā. We are therefore advocating Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that "Here is God and here is God's instructions." So if we deliver it, and the proposal in the Bhagavad-gītā, they are all practical. Just like God says that you divide the society in four division—not only worker, but also the good brain, good administrator, and good producer of food. That is the actually the divisions of the society. So without division of the society, if you simply keep worker, who will give them instruction to work? These are all imperfect ideas.
Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:
Prabhupāda: Yes, because the world activities must be regulated to the ultimate goal, understanding of God. Human civilization is meant for understanding God. So although the Church or the brāhmaṇas may not directly handle administrative activities, but it must be done under their supervision, or under their instruction. That is Vedic system. The brāhmaṇa is the Church, and the kṣatriya, the administrator. So the administrator used to take instruction from the brāhmaṇas, or one who can deliver a spiritual message. This is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā, that Kṛṣṇa, millions of years ago, He instructed the message of Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god. Sun-god is the origin of administrators, kṣatriya. So therefore the king, or the kṣatriya who administrators the business of the state, if he follows the instruction of veda through the brāhmaṇa or the Church, then he is called rājarṣi-king, and at the same time saintly person. Although he is king, he is following the instruction of saintly person or the Church. So in this way if the brāhmaṇas or the Church are in order, their instruction is in order, and the administrators, kṣatriya, they follow that instruction, he is in order. So the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. Vaiśya, if he follows the instruction of the kṣatriya, he is in order, and śūdras, they have no intelligence; therefore they follow the instruction of the three superior orders. This is the division of the society.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Discussion with BTG Staff -- December 24, 1969, Boston:
Prabhupāda: So actually his experience was nice, that since the Britishers have gone away, the management of Indian government is not nice. They cannot manage. So he was experienced. He told. I sometimes remember that Professor Kidd told me like that. (laughs) So we have to create nice administrator. That is another function, you see? Every department, we shall create assistant, assistant. So that in case he is ill or he is sick, he cannot work, somebody must work for him.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Conversation with Prof. Kotovsky -- June 22, 1971, Moscow:
Prabhupāda: Sun is creation of the Supreme. So sunshine is here in America, in Russia, in India—everywhere. Similarly, this varṇāśrama system is prevalent everywhere in some form or other. Just like the brāhmaṇas. The brāhmaṇas means the most intelligent class of men, brain, brain of the society. Then the kṣatriyas, the administrator class. Then the vaiśyas, the productive class, and the śūdras, the worker class. These four classes of men are everywhere present in different names.
Conversation with Prof. Kotovsky -- June 22, 1971, Moscow:
Prabhupāda: And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the comparison is given, just like in your body, in my body, there are four divisions, the face, facial, or the brain division, and the arms division, the belly division, and the leg division, similarly, by nature's way these four divisions are existing in the social body. You may take history wherever you begin, but this is existing. A class of men, they are considered to be brain. A class of men, they are considered to be the arms, administrators. And a class of men, they are called productive class. So there is no need of tracing the history. It is naturally existing from the day of creation.
Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi:
Prabhupāda: So two sides we are trying, to define the natural division of human society. The intelligent class, the administrator class, the productive class, and the worker class. There is natural division. You cannot say that everywhere simply there are intelligent class of men. No. Because we are infected with the three kinds of the material modes. You cannot expect all men are on the same level. That is not possible. Someone is in the modes of goodness, someone is in the modes of passion, someone is in the modes of ignorance, and someone is in the modes of mixture. That is the natural division—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaisya, śūdra.
Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi:
Prabhupāda: So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is purifying everyone. This bodily concept of life, "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," they are forgetting. Just like in our society there are devotees from many religious sects, many countries, but they are nobody in that concept of life. They are purely thinking, "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is bhakti. This is spiritual platform. So far the material platform is concerned, there is already division. An intelligent class of men, the administrator class.
Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi:
Prabhupāda: So there must be systematic division of the work. Everyone should work. The brain will work, the hand will work, the belly will work, the leg will work, but the direction should be from the brain. Therefore, first of all duty is there must be an intelligent class of men directing. Then the other direction will follow. If the duty of the intelligent class of men is taken by the foolish rascals, then how this work will go on? That is first reformation, that we should pick up the intelligent class of men of the world and they will direct. And next the administrator class. And next the productive class.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:
Prabhupāda: You may be industrial administrator, you may be engineer, you may be something else, but you make your profession perfect. And that perfection is achieved by satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead by your profession.
Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:
Prabhupāda: Yes, you'll realize when you satisfy actually. You have to take direction. Just like you are engineer or business administrator. You learn the art from a teacher, and then you can know how you are satisfying your master. Just like if you eat, then you can understand that "how we are being satisfied." You haven't got to ask anybody, "Am I satisfied?" If you are eating, then you'll be satisfied.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Educationists -- July 11, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: Ṭhākura, they belong to kṣatriya class. Brāhmaṇa... According to Vedic conception, there are four divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. So next to brāhmaṇa is the kṣatriya. So this Ṭhākura title is given to the kṣatriyas, administrator class. Yes. (pause, Prabhupāda chants japa softly) So in your library you are keeping our books? No. All books?
Room Conversation with Dr. Arnold Toynbee, Famous Historian, at his home or office -- July 22, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: So Bhagavad-gītā recommends that the whole society should be divided into four divisions: the brāhmaṇa, or the most intellectual persons, the kṣatriyas, the administrators, the vaiśyas, the mercantile agriculturists, and the śūdras, ordinary men, laborer or worker. Because this material world is conducted by three modes of nature, goodness, passion and ignorance, so according to the quality of the person, he should be listed in different categories. And it is the duty of the state to see that all these categories, divisions, they are working nicely.
Garden Conversation with Mahadeva's Mother and Jesuit Priest -- July 25, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: Just like naturally we have got division. The whole object is to keep the body fit, but there is division: the head division, the arm division, the stomach division, and the leg division. So similarly, there must be four classes of men in the society: the intelligent class of men, the administrator class of men, the productive class of men, and the laborer class of men. Everything is required.
Morning Walk -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Oh, oil drilling. So you are theologician. You start this movement, plus our Hare Kṛṣṇa party. And leaders, the propaganda should be that the, at least the priests, who are conducting religious activities, they, the priests and the leaders and the administrators, they must be sinless. Or... Sinless means they should not indulge in these four prohibited principles. Others may do. But the leaders, the political executive, administrators, and the priests who are conducting the church, they must be free from sinful life. Otherwise, there is no question of peace in the society.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- January 3, 1974, Los Angeles:
Karandhara: We were thinking for the administrator there could be a judge.
Prabhupāda: Ah.
Karandhara: Could be a judge, a high-court judge.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That means administrator.
Karandhara: Yes. The other one could be the president.
Prabhupāda: Yes, president also administrator. No, one is in the religious order. That is also required. But here we see, persons who are in religious order, they're also addicted to these four sinful, four sinful life. And he's presenting himself as religious.
Morning Walk -- March 16, 1974, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: So non-cooperate with them, they will fail. And that was successful. He started non-cooperation movement, that "Don't cooperate with these Britishers," and when they saw there is now full non-cooperation, they left voluntarily. It is not possible to bring so many administrators, military strength, men, men too. Actually the British empire was expanded through the help of Indians.
Room Conversation with Monsieur Mesman, Chief of Law House of Paris -- June 11, 1974, Paris:
Prabhupāda: No. Practically none. That is the defect of the modern society, that there is no brain. Therefore the whole world is in chaotic condition. In your country also, it is famous for so many revolutions. And whole Europe is..., Russia and other countries, because there is no brain. So there is need of these qualified first-class men, to lead the human society. Then next class... The head is first class, and next class: arms, protector, administrator. Their qualification is stated...
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Conversation with Devotees -- April 14, 1975, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: There was a picture... some deputation came to the minister that we are starving. There is no food. The administrator, he went, "Of course I have no information that you have no, but we're advanced now. Come tomorrow, there will be radio message. Radio message, radio, there's television, ha television..."
Room Conversation with Justin Murphy (Geographer) -- May 14, 1975, Perth:
Prabhupāda: That there should be, the first-class men. They may be very few; it doesn't matter. Ideal class. People will learn by their behavior, by their character, by their knowledge. So must be there. Then the next class would be the administrators. They would be advised by the first-class men, and they would administer the state.
Room Conversation with Two Lawyers and Guest -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: To keep the body fit you require head, you require arms, you require belly, you require leg. That is the system of varṇāśrama-dharma. In India you have heard that there is a class, brāhmaṇa. Now it is now broken. But this is the Vedic civilization, that one class of men should be the brāhmaṇas, first class. One class of man should be kṣatriya, the administrators, politicians.
Room Conversation with Yogi Bhajan -- June 7, 1975, Honolulu:
Prabhupāda: Produce food grain, and both animal and man will be happy. So who will disagree with this point? Follow this. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni. Kṛṣṇa says first. This is economic. Social—Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The human society should be divided into four classes according to quality and work. So four classes there are. First class, intelligent class; the second class, the administrators; the third class, the mercantile; and the fourth class, who are not within these three class.
Room Conversation with Yogi Bhajan -- June 7, 1975, Honolulu:
Prabhupāda: Kṣatriya, the administrator. They have got(?) śauryam. Then what is the word, śauryam?
Room Conversation with Dr. John Mize -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: So we can see on equal level when (sic:) you become a brāhmaṇa. Brahma-bhūtaḥ, not in the United Nation, passing resolution and fight is going on outside, because they have no vision, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. So the politicians should be guided by the brāhmaṇas. That is social structure. Those who are first-class men in the spiritual understanding... Or the politicians, the administrators, they should take instruction from the brāhmaṇas and take part in politics.
Room Conversation with Dr. John Mize -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Similarly, our philosophy—just to make the human society very peaceful and making progress we wish to establish this system. A first-class man, group of men, brāhmaṇas, they will guide the kṣatriyas, and the kṣatriyas, the administrators, they will guide the vaiśya. Vaiśya means agriculture and cow protection and trade. And śūdra means those who are neither brāhmaṇa nor kṣatriya nor vaiśyas. They are simply worker, assistant.
Room Conversation with the Mayor of Evanston -- July 4, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: These brāhmaṇas, they will not take part in politics, but those who are politicians, administrators, they should take advice from these first-class men, how to rule, how to control, what is the ideal. So the ruling class, they are called kṣatriyas. So find out this verse, śamaḥ damaḥ...
Room Conversation with the Mayor of Evanston -- July 4, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: Therefore, in the western countries especially, everywhere, all over the world, the attempt should be how to create first-class, second-class. At least these two classes required: good politicians, administrators, and good advisors. So this program we are placing before the world. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Room Conversation with Mr. & Mrs. Wax, Writer and Editing Manager of Playboy Magazine -- July 5, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: According to quality and work, there are four divisions. (aside:) You can push it back. Four divisions. So similarly, four divisions must be there: a group of men, first-class; a group of men, administrators; a group of men, food producer; and a group of men, general worker. So the brain is the chief. If your body... There are other parts, but if your head is cut off, then what is the use of other parts?
Press Conference -- July 9, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: Other classes... The second-class, they are supposed to be administrator. They are very... They are also very strong. They do not go away when there is fighting. They have got a ruling capacity, and they are charitable. They have got seven qualifications. So... But he rules according to the advice of the first-class men.
Press Conference -- July 9, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: Yes, cow, from where you get milk, that cow. So the exact word is used in Sanskrit, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Vaiśya, the third-class man, is called vaiśya. So his duty is how to produce food, food grains, for both for the animals and the man. And he gives protection to the cows. As the second-class man, the administrator, he gives protection to the human being from danger, similarly, the third-class man is entrusted to give protection to the cows.
Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:
Prabhupāda: No, recognize means if a man is qualified medical man we accept him as medical man. And if a man is qualified engineer, we accept him as engineer. Similarly, Bhagavad-gītā suggests—not suggest, it is there—there are four classes of men, the most intelligent class of men, the administrator class of men, the productive class of men and ordinary worker. That is already there.
Morning Walk -- October 2, 1975, Mauritius:
Prabhupāda: And taxation. And the taxation is divided among them. The tax is meant for public welfare. Instead of public welfare, they divide it amongst themselves and enjoy wine, women, motorcar and flesh. That's all. This is going on. All this income tax-plundering process. This income tax means a plan how to take away everything from the actually earning members of the society. That is income tax. And that is divided amongst administrators. That's all.
Morning Walk -- October 6, 1975, Durban:
Prabhupāda: Our professors, they came from missionary, but there were other officers in government service, I.C.S., Indian Civil Service. They were also. In the province where they were employed he must learn the provincial language. Their administration was excellent, undoubtedly, British administration. Nobody in the world, so far administration... But their crooked policy ruined them; otherwise good administrator, good politician, good diplomat.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Prabhupāda: Then the next class, kṣatriyas, the politicians, administrators, they are also required to give protection to the people from injury. Kṣatriya, kṣat means injury, and trāyate, "one who saves people from injury." It is kṣatriya's duty. So kṣatriya should protect all the living entities, including the animals. They are also subjects.
Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Prabhupāda: Although it was monarchy, even Lord Rāmacandra or similar kings, they were not ruling independently—they were taking advice from learned brāhmaṇas, sages. So the legislative assembly should be composition of intellectual brāhmaṇas. Then the other administrators, the President or the minister, they should be kṣatriyas. In this way, if social organization is made, then there will be perfect peace.
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
Letter to Rayarama -- Seattle 17 October, 1968:
This point should be clearly discussed, that without God conciousness, Krishna Consciousness, any attempt of human civilization so-called philosophical or political or economical or labor, they are all zeros. The human society should be divided as a social order, as the intellectual men, the administrator class, and the mercantile class, and the laborer class.
1970 Correspondence
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 28 March, 1970:
Both Sri Dhama and Nandakisora are good administrators of Prasadam which is our peak medicine for driving away Maya; so I have all blessings for them. Let them chant Hare Krsna and distribute Prasadam, and things will come very quickly.
1974 Correspondence
Letter to Rupanuga -- Tirupati 28 April, 1974:
The GBC must be vigilant by following the regulative principles and teach by ideal character the presidents of the centers, and the presidents by their ideal character must teach the others then automatically all members of the whole institution will be ideal to the human society. Then we can dictate to administrators or sometimes take hold of the administration. In the absence of competent leaders we may take the post.
1975 Correspondence
Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Los Angeles 21 June, 1975:
Regarding your making Yasomatinandana das BBT administrator, I have no objection, but I think he can be better engaged in printing work. Actually he has no business experience. Of course he may be trained up, but in the meantime he should not be in charge. I have given him charge of the publishing work, but what is he doing? Better not to change.
| Page Title: | Administrators (Books) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, Parthasarathi, MadhuGopaldas |
| Created: | 27 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=6, SB=39, CC=1, OB=10, Lec=66, Con=32, Let=4 |
| No. of Quotes: | 158 |